» EFTA-India FTA
Digest No: 11; Dated: September 30, 2009

Despite the strong critique of the undemocratic nature of FTA negotiations that undermine India’s federal structure, which led to the signing of the FTA between India and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Government of India continues to silently negotiate FTAs with many countries and economic blocks. Read me...

» India-Japan FTA
Digest No: 11; Dated: September 30, 2009

India and Japan are expected to sign an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), i.e. a FTA, soon. The tenth round of negotiations on the Japan-India EPA was held in October 2008 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, in Tokyo. According to the representatives of the Indian Department of Commerce, negotiations are almost complete. With elections in Japan now over, the 11th round of negotiations will take place on Tuesday, September 29, 2009, in New Delhi. These negotiations were launched in February 2007. Read me...

» India-ASEAN FTA
Digest No: 11; Dated: September 30, 2009

Several fisheries Trade Unions organized a convention on 24th September 2009 at Ernakulam, under the banner of the Kerala Fisheries Coordination Committee. They issued a call for a March to Parliament on November 11, to oppose the recently signed FTA in goods between the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India; with a unanimous demand for “No fish imports” (Fishworkers call for march to parliament). Read me...

» EU-India FTA
Digest No: 11; Dated: September 30, 2009

Social, environmental issues may delay India-EU trade pact
Business Standard, September 25, 2009
The European Union’s (EU’s) rigid stand on the inclusion of social and environmental issues in a FTA with India may delay the finalization of the pact. Read me...

» EU-India FTA
Digest No: 10; Dated: September 16, 2009

India is geared to negotiate a FTA with the European Union (EU) which would go beyond WTO commitments. While the implications of India’s negotiations in this multilateral deal are not yet clear, India has asserted its commitment to breaking the WTO Doha round impasse by calling more than 30 minister-level representatives from different interest groups within the WTO to Delhi, on September 3rd and 4th. Simultaneous to the ministerial meeting, a mass based protest was organized in the Capital city by students, farmers and workers against the WTO trade process. Read more...

» ASEAN-India FTA
Digest No: 10; Dated: September 16, 2009

The India based Forum on FTAs has published a press release raising its concerns regarding the ASEAN-India FTA (Press release: India-ASEAN FTA detrimental). In Kerala, the Chief Minister has expressed deep concern over the impacts of the deal for the southern state, raising issues related to the negotiation process which fails to include the member States, despite India’s federal structure. These concerns have been echoed by Kerala fish workers, especially by KSMTF (KSMTF: Federal nature of Constitution has been undermined). Read more...

» Turkey-India FTA
Digest No: 10; Dated: September 16, 2009

In November 2008, India decided to form a Joint Study Group (JSG) to study the feasibility of entering into a FTA with Turkey. Terms of reference are to be brought out by October 2009-end. A FTA on trade in goods would later be extended to trade in services as well as liberalization in investment. Read more...

» EU-India FTA
Digest No: 06; Dated: April 22, 2009

A two-part article from Kavaljit Singh discusses the implications of liberalisation of trade and investment in financial services (financial services cover a wide range of sectors such as banking, insurance, brokerage and asset management) under a FTA between the European Union (EU) and India. Read more...

» ASEAN–India FTA
Digest No: 06; Dated: April 22, 2009

The signing of the Association of South East Nations (ASEAN)-India FTA has been delayed again due to the postponement of the ASEAN Summit scheduled to held on April 11 at Pattaya, Thailand, following anti-government demonstrations there. A possible date for finalizing the agreement will be August during the ASEAN Economic Summit, in Bangkok. Read more...

» EU-India FTA
Digest No: 05; Dated: April 02, 2009

The sixth round of negotiations for an FTA between India and the European Union was initially planned in November 2008, but had got indefinitely postponed. It took place in New Delhi from March 17th to 19th. Read more...

» EFTA-India FTA
Digest No: 05; Dated: April 02, 2009

Pharmaceutical companies have vested interests in reducing the flexibility associated with the implementation of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Read more...

» ASEAN-India FTA
Digest No: 05; Dated: April 02, 2009

ASEAN FTA in deep freeze
The Economic Times | March 24, 2009
India is not ready to sign the deal as per the proposed FTA with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in April due to the upcoming Union elections, the official, who didn’t wish to be named, said. Read more...

» EFTA-India FTA
Digest No: 04; Dated: March 10, 2009

EFTA and India meet for third round of free trade negotiations
EFTA | February 27, 2009
The negotiations on a broad-based Free Trade Agreement between the four European Free Trade Association (EFTA) States and India held their third round in New Delhi from 23-26 February 2009. Read more...

» ASEAN–India FTA
Digest No: 04; Dated: March 10, 2009

Negotiations for an ASEAN-India FTA were concluded in October 2008. The agreement was to be signed at the 14th ASEAN Summit held at the end of February in Thailand. But, the current economic situation has necessitated a decision by the Cabinet. This has put the agreement on hold, along with similar agreements with Thailand and South Korea. (See FTA Watch – India No. 3, February 23, 2009). With the general elections around the corner, these decisions are likely to be postponed further. Read more...

» Asean-India FTA
(Digest No: 03; Dated: February 23, 2009)

The FTA between the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India was expected to be signed at the ASEAN Summit, on 27 February in Thailand. This might be delayed, as India has not yet confirmed its attendance at the signing ceremony. National protectionism in the face of the unfolding financial crisis is expected to be an important part of the deliberations at the Summit. While ASEAN members may be working towards greater integration as a way ahead, the Indian government may find it difficult to justify a FTA at a time when industry is being adversely impacted by the global recession and contracting domestic demand. Read Details...

» Northeast: From a Border to a Bridge
(Digest No: 03; Dated: February 23, 2009)

In our last issue (No. 2, February 13), we announced the holding of the North East India Trade and Investment Summit from February 12 to 14 at Ho Chi Minh, in Vietnam. It appears that the discussions made slow progress on the plans to use the North East as a bridge to connect India with South East Asia. Read Details...

» EU-India FTA
(Digest No: 02; Dated: February 13, 2009)

It is more than two months since the 6th round of negotiations has been postponed indefinitely. But both sides continue to be committed to the FTA. Read Details...

» Regional integration: Bangladesh-India trade and investment agreements
(Digest No: 02; Dated: February 13, 2009)

Two trade related agreements between Bangladesh and India have been signed on February 9th, but they come with discussions on mega projects for infrastructure development and reinforcement of militarization. One of these agreements is a renewal of the Bilateral trade agreement, under which both countries are able to use their waterways, roadways and railways for transportation of goods between two places in one country through the territory of the other (Bilateral trade agreement signed in 2006). The other one is a new treaty, a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPA), which includes a most favoured nation (MFN) clause. Read Details...

» ASEAN-India FTA to be signed
(Digest No: 01; Dated: February 04, 2009)

The India-Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) FTA is to be signed at the upcoming ASEAN summit in Thailand between February 27 and March 1 2009. Here after are some recent news articles on the negotiations. Read Details...